Mar 30, 2026
THANK YOU CATHERINE AYOTTE
Manitoba Opera extends its sincere appreciation to Catherine Ayotte of Ayotte Wealth Management at National Bank Financial for its generous support and continued commitment to the performing arts in our community.
Partnerships like this play a vital role in sustaining the artistic excellence and cultural vitality that define Manitoba Opera. Together with our partners, we are able to bring exceptional operatic performances to audiences across the province while nurturing creativity, storytelling, and shared cultural experiences.
We are proud to work alongside partners who recognize the importance of investing in the arts and the impact it has on enriching our community. Catherine Ayotte’s support helps ensure that opera remains accessible, inspiring, and vibrant for current and future generations.
Thank you, Catherine Ayotte, for helping Manitoba Opera continue its mission of presenting outstanding opera and fostering a thriving cultural landscape in Manitoba.
View Press ReleaseMar 30, 2026
MANITOBA LIQUOR & LOTTERIES: ENRICHING OUR COMMUNITY
Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries has been a supporter of Manitoba Opera since 2009. Through their commitment to community investment, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries has helped make it possible for Manitoba Opera to bring world-class productions to the stage right here in our province. Their support has played an important role in ensuring that opera remains vibrant, accessible, and inspiring for audiences of all ages.
From breathtaking mainstage performances to community engagement and educational initiatives, their partnership has helped us expand the reach of opera and deepen its impact. Together, we have welcomed thousands of patrons into the theatre, created opportunities for artists, and introduced new generations to the magic of live performance.
Support from organizations like Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries strengthens Manitoba’s cultural landscape and reminds us that the arts are an essential part of a thriving community. Their investment reflects a shared belief that creativity, storytelling, and artistic excellence deserve to be celebrated and supported.
Thank you to Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries for standing with us and championing the arts in Manitoba. Your partnership has made a meaningful difference, and we are deeply grateful for your ongoing commitment.
Mar 19, 2026
Manitoba Opera to present a Reimagined Masterpiece & An Enduring Favourite In the 2026/27 Season
Manitoba Opera announced programming for the 2026/27 season (its 54th) today at a launch event at the Centennial Concert Hall in Winnipeg. The Western Canadian premiere of Volcano Theatre’s production of Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha (pronounced TREE-muh-NEESH-uh): A Musical Reimagining will open the season with three performances November 21, 25, and 27. One of opera’s most powerful and unforgettable stories, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, will close the season April 17, 21, and 23. All performances will take place at the Centennial Concert Hall.
Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha: A Musical Reimagining received its world premiere in 2023 in Toronto as part of the city’s Luminato Festival, co-presented with TO Live. It opened to ecstatic roars, cheering, and rave reviews. The Toronto Star wrote: “Joplin’s long-forgotten masterpiece has been ravishingly reborn for the 21st century in a triumphant production.”
Legendary ragtime composer Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha was published in 1911. This opera about a young woman was unlike anything that had come before. It fused Western classical music with popular Black music from the era: blues, barbershop (before it was called that), gospel, and ragtime. Both musically and narratively, it was revolutionary. However, no backer would touch it, and it was not produced in Joplin’s lifetime.
This new Treemonisha was built over seven years of dedicated work with an international team of leading Black women artists who reimagined the piece. While preserving its setting and characters, they crafted a new story and a richly hybrid orchestration that expands on Joplin’s original music fusion.
“As I prepared to conclude my time with Manitoba Opera after 25 years, I wanted this final season to reflect both where we’ve been as well as possibilities for the future,” said Interim Artistic Director, Larry Desrochers. “Treemonisha: A Musical Reimagining represents bold, necessary storytelling and a thrilling expansion of the operatic canon, while Madama Butterfly reminds us of the enduring emotional power that first draws audiences to this art form. Together, they capture the spirit of a company that honours tradition while embracing change.”
